1. Field of the Invention
Various embodiments of the invention relate generally to the field of networking. More specifically, the embodiments relate to a method and system for managing devices on a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
An information technology (IT) system comprises physical devices connected over a network. These devices typically include switches, routers, servers, and the like. Each device may have access to a distinct set of resources including data, application programs, file systems, or the like. To manage a large IT system, a network administrator may access each of the devices connected to the network.
Tracking and managing physical devices can be a complex and difficult task. Currently, administrators may use a database or database model to record data identifying and/or describing the devices on a network. Unfortunately, these databases can become outdated or corrupted easily. Further, databases do not provide access to the physical devices from a remote location.
Administrators often use multiple applications to manage physical devices since no current single application can access, control, and manage the network, physical devices, and properties of the physical devices. Unfortunately, multiple applications can conflict with each other. They also require training time by the administrator to use effectively and may be expensive.
Outside of IT system management, various tools have been developed separately to address other needs. To manage complex data sets, for example, a virtual file system can be used to represent various resources such as data files. Virtual file systems allow a user to store data normally stored in a file system and data relating to attributes of the files such as versions, authors, updates, and the like. ClearCase, for example, uses a virtual file system to operate a source code control repository. Current virtual file systems, however, do not manage datacenters or other large networks.
To retrieve files stored on a remote networked device connected to a network, the Network File System (NFS) developed by Sun Microsystems may be used. Using NFS, users of computers of different operating systems on different computers can access data stored on a remote computer. Different applications within the NFS are limited in management of multiple remote computers.
To maintain network security while sharing files or executing programs on remote computers, the Secure Shell (SSH) protocol, for example, provides a way to establish a secure communication channel between two computers. In one example, the remote computer may authenticate the client based on a request transmitted over SSH. The client may then execute programs on the remote computer.
While these applications can be used to meet specific needs, they do not provide a unified way of managing a large network. There exists a need for a network management system that is able to present and manage networked devices in a network within a uniform environment.